10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
12 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
13 / 0
Average Mileage:
39,576 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #16

Jun 082008

Windstar

  • 129,000 miles
I had a green light on a N/S street. The driver on the E/w street ran the light. I hit the driver side of his car, damaging my entire front end to the point of a total loss on the van. The passenger airbag did deploy (no passenger, however). The driver side did not. I am dealing with deep bruising on my sternum and chest.

- Gardner, KS, USA

problem #15

Mar 212006

Windstar 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 154,000 miles
I was traveling straight ahead on a dry road the afternoon of March 21, 2006, at about 40 mph. A car turned in front of me and struck the front of my car on the driver's side. The driver's side air bag did not inflate, despite the fact that the driver's side of the front sustained damage severe enough to total the car. The passenger side air bag did inflate, though the damage on that side was less. I was injured in the accident. Despite wearing my seat belt, my sternum was fractured.

- Shrewsbury, MA, USA

problem #14

Nov 202005

Windstar 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40 miles
On 11/20/05 at approximately 10:00 P.M. a deer ran in front of my van. The impact was on the drivers front left at the headlight section of the vehicle. Minor damage was done to the vehicle but the incident caused injury to my wife. The drivers airbag didn't deploy but the passengers did. This caused the airbag to break my wife's wrist in 2 places. At the same time the drivers seat belt locked but the passengers didn't causing my wife to go forward. Both of us were wearing our seat belts. This seems to me that there was some kind of defect in the system since everything happened backwards. At this time nothing has been done to the van but Ford customer affairs is suppose to be contacting me.

- Mount Victory, OH, USA

problem #13

Nov 032005

Windstar 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 81,000 miles
The contact stated while driving the contact's vehicle he hit a large tree. It was a front end collision. But upon impact, the front air bags did not deploy. The air bag lights did not illuminate, indicating a problem with the air bags. The vehicle has not been involved in any prior accidents. The vehicle has not been inspected B Y the dealer to determine why the air bags did not deploy.

- Saltsburg, PA, USA

problem #12

Oct 202005

Windstar 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles
The contact stated that the passenger side, side impact air bag deployed without an impact while driving. No indicator lights were on prior to air bags deploying. The vehicle has been at the dealership for nine days, they have been in contact with the manufacturer. Neither the dealership nor the manufacturer could determine the cause of the problem. The vehicle has not been repaired. Updated 11/16/2005 - the manufacturer examined the vehicle but was unable to determine what caused it to deploy and refused to accept any responsibility for this problem.

- Waterford, VA, USA

problem #11

Aug 022005

Windstar 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 38,500 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact's vehicle was involved in front end collision on August 2, 2005 while traveling 45-50 mph. Upon impact, the front air bags did not deploy. The wheel dropped off on the pavement, causing the vehicle to go over an embankment and hit a tree. Had the vehicle inspected by the insurance adjuster and a local mechanic, and they stated there were no airbag sensors or wiring in the vehicle. The vehicle had not been in any previous accidents, nor have the airbags been deactivated. The consumer contacted the manufacturer; they referred her to a local dealership. The local dealership refused to come to look at the vehicle. No warning lights illuminated, indicating there was a problem with the air bags. The vehicle was imported from Canada.

- Battlelake, MN, USA

problem #10

May 282005

Windstar 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles
The passenger side airbag deployed for no reason at all. The owner was traveling on the expressway with no potholes or bumps at a speed of 40-45 mph. The owner was going onto the ramp when he heard an explosion. The passenger thought that they had been shot because the noise was so loud. The airbag light was not on before deployment, but it was on now that the air bags deployed. The owner has been in contact with Ford and their local Ford dealership. Ford customer affairs refused to do anything about it because the warranty expired. There was 1 injury, but not life threatening. This did not result in a crash. The airbag blew the seams out of the seats and foam had gotten everywhere. This was going on 3 weeks, and the consumer was waiting for Ford to determine if they were going to fix the defective airbag. Ford determined that they were not liable.

- Saginaw, MI, USA

problem #9

Jan 122005

Windstar 6-cyl

  • miles
While driving a collision occurred.upon impact, air bags did not deploy, and seat belts did not engage.

- Marshall, MO, USA

problem #8

Aug 092004

Windstar 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles
The consumer could see that the cracks were starting to appear on the passenger air bag compartment. The dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

- Roosevelt, NY, USA

problem #7

Jul 092004

Windstar

  • 45,676 miles
While driving 15 mph the vehicle was involved in a collision with a vehicle traveling 50 mph. The dual air bags did not deploy upon impact. As a result the driver hit his head on the steering wheel and sprained his wrist. Please provide additional information.

- Cape Elizabeth, ME, USA

problem #6

Nov 252003

Windstar

  • miles
Consumer stated while driving 50 mph consumers vehicle crashed into to another vehicle. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy.

- Corryton, TN, USA

problem #5

Mar 152002

Windstar

  • miles
While driving the vehicle 55 mph the vehicle was involved in a head on collision yet neither of the frontal air bags deployed.

- Covington, GA, USA

problem #4

Dec 062002

Windstar

  • miles
Consumer collided head-on with an 80-90lb animal travelling approximately 45-50mph. Both driver and passenger air bags did not deploy.

- Carson City, MI, USA

problem #3

Jun 132002

Windstar

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While the consumer was driving at 35 mph hit another vehicle. During the accident the driver side air bag failed to deploy. Also, the seat belt failed. Due to this accident the consumer bruised her sternum and hurt her back.

- Plymouth, MI, USA

problem #2

Dec 062001

Windstar

  • miles
I purchased the vehicle on November 10, 2001. The vehicle had been brought from another dealer, and when I picked it up, it was purported to have been examined and everything working. When I got a few miles down the road, I noticed that the air bag light was flashing. I called the dealership and was told to take it to a dealer as soon as possible and have it checked. Since it was Saturday, I had to wait until the next week to have it checked. I was told at prestige Ford that the air bag sensor module was not the right one for my car. The car was manufactured 3 days after the modules changed for the new cars. They ordered the part, I came back a week later to have it repaired. The computer still showed a problem, and mechanic said that he had replaced the part but would have to contact Ford to see what to do about the other problem. A week later he called and said he had not reached Ford yet. I said that my air bag worked, though, and he said no. The next day I was struck by another vehicle in a front end crash. We struck at approx. Same angle and both air bags deployed. Mine did not. I stopped when I saw her come over on wrong side of the road. She hit me at approx. 35 mph. Middle seat in the car came out of the anchors. I hit the steering wheel and was thrown against the door. I was injured, neck, chest, arm, side. I believe the vehicle was defective, I was allowed to drive it without the offer of a loaner, and I feel that the air bag could have diminished my injuries. I am also very concerned about back seat coming loose.

- Abingdon, VA, USA

problem #1

Mar 012001

Windstar

  • miles
During a front vehicle crash of approximately 30-35 mph, the drivers side airbag failed to deploy, even though the passenger side airbag did deploy as expected.

- Tallahassee, FL, USA